Thursday, September 23, 2010

Letting it slide

Yesterday hit me like a truck….I was T.I.R.E.D! I’ll admit that there is very little free time in my day when I’m not thinking about all the crap stuff I need to do…mostly stuff that is not important and can wait while I do things that are far more important. For instance:

1. Washing my duvet cover…it can wait (and what a pain to get back on!).

2. Cleaning the very bottom of the toilet that gets all dusty (hope its dust)….it can wait.

3. Make boats with my 3 year old to float in the poopy duck pond…it was important, and he’s been talking about how fun it was for days.

5. Pulling out the video camera to catch my 6 month old sit up before he’s crawling away…important.

So today when I was overwhelmed I made a decision to let things slide. One less important thing each day will be swapped for something that is important…like making boats. But not quilting…that’s not swappable. See?

And since I’m on the topic of “life” I’m going to add…thank you for visiting this blog. Thank you for putting up with my “life posts”, and thank you for remembering that even though it says Cluck. Cluck. Sew. in the title…. I have a life beyond sewing. Kind of. :)

67 comments:

I absolutely love coming to your blog. I am here on a regular basis. :o) And as much as I love your quilts, I also enjoy reading about the day to day stuff. Your post today really puts things into perspective and is a gentle reminder for myself. :o)Let it slide ... that is a great idea! :o) What matters most doesn't always last. :o)Have a great day.Sincerely ~ Trish

You are so right... and I hear you on the important things. It looked like a tornado went through my house this weekend, but instead of coming back early to clean, it was more important to spend a few extra hours with my out-of-town in-laws. It can wait!

"Let it slide." Words to live by! Thank you for the reminder. I love your blog, your work and your perspective on.....life. Hey, maybe we should make this day National Let it Slide Day. Just a thought. :)

Ive been working on putting those important things first. Last night I put aside some things cause my 7 yr old wanted to play Life and I whooped her at it ;) (to be fair she whooped me the last time) lol

I am amazed that you get as much done as you do with two little ones! You are super mom! I admire that and that is why your blog is one of the first I visit each day. It's like that movie You've Got Mail! When I see a new post it's like DING! Greatness to follow!! You are an awesome quilter but first and foremost and awesome mom! Don't forget that. Jenn

I LOVE hearing about life beyond sewing/quilting/crafting because it reminds me that my life and all the conflicting feelings I have about time management, important/unimportant tasks is completely normal. Finding balance is a delicate and tricky thing. But you know, the toilet and duvet cover will wait for you. Kiddos will not.

You are so right! How many times a day do I say to my daughter, "not right now, in a few minutes" while I'm doing something that really can wait. Sometimes it's hard to balance everything but how blessed we are to have these wonderful things in our lives to balance!

The kids - they usually can't wait (or won't!). One day I tried to stop saying No all the time - you know saying yes when I really wanted to say NO!!!!! You know what........it was actually a great day :) My oldest is 16 now and I still remember looking at him as a newborn baby thinking OH MY GOSH - now what?!! Those days just fly by - enjoy the moment!

we all have to decide what is important every single day....letting things slide is no big deal. i love that you made boats!!! they always remember stuff like that. i let lots of things slide around my house in favor of sewing or sitting(sometimes that is the only thing that sounds good)...like dishes and floors and bathrooms...no big deal!!!

I totally agree. I love your blog, your quilts and everything else. Personally, whenever I find myself dwelling on all of the things that aren't getting done I have to remind myself that I'm at home taking care of three little kids!!! And I hear my dad saying "lower your expectations"...it's his way of saying that we have all of these 'expectations' for ourselves, and we're missing all of the little accomplishments along the way.I have to remind myself that one a lot!!! :)

I love coming to your blog, whether or not the post are about sewing or life. I have the same dust problem around my toilets. I find mine is a mix of dust & cat hair, especially since we have three kitties including a kitten that gets put in "timeout" in the bathroom. I take my Dyson in there every so often and get most of it with the attachment. Lazy but effective!

i love your life stuff, and all craft bloggers life stuff. It keeps me from thinking there is this hoarde of crazed women out there who manage to craft and sew and cook and clean and keep thier kids hair brushed and the dog groomed and the hamster cage cleaned and the house just so. D: D: D: all things that I can never manage to have all achieved in one day.

I read the start of your post in Google Reader and saw T.I.R.E.D and had to read from the blog. That's me, too! It's hard to decide sometimes what is important and what can slide. Eventually, the state of my house will get to a point where I can no longer let it slide, but for now, it's not the most important. And kids and sewing and work come before cleaning for me, too!

Okay, I normally wouldn't give cleaning tips on a quilt blog, but...my favourite new cleaning tool is a Swiffer 360 - try it on the base of the toilet (my nemesis). Whenever I'm dusting the living room and bedrooms I finish with the bottom of the toilet - works like a charm!

There's a pile of dirty dishes in my sink (uh, that would be breakfast and lunch, nevermind that I'm now on the internet) because my 4 yr old decided it was important for he and I to color together while baby napped. It's important - and exactly why we do it!

Oh, I like your life posts. It's really lovely to hear that we have similar issues--important vs. unimportant. Makes me feel less alone in trying to figure it all out. I sometimes forget that I have a choice! Crazy, huh? ;-)

Having said that: I recently thought a lot about blogging and life and the combination of those two. I realised that I didn't want to 'live to blog', but that I wanted to 'blog about my life'. And yes, I mostly highlight the creative aspects of my life on my blog, but sometimes my posts are about something not creative. About my little ones, about my thoughts or feelings, about.. well... the things that keep me busy. I love to read blogs on which I get a peek into the bloggers life and thoughts. That's what makes it interesting, I think. Ofcourse, beautiful creative projects are fun to look at and can spark new ideas, but it gets really interesting for me when the person behind the blog is present in the posts too. So please, let your life be present here on your blog, also the non-creative parts. It makes you only more human, more interesting, more loveable.

Very well put! This time with our children is precious! While it's nice to have a clean and spotless house, sometimes we just have to decide what's most important. Our houses will always need cleaning, but children won't always be little. Again, well done!

fantastic post, thank you! Reminded me of one of my favourite posts on a lovely blog, Like Mother Like Daughter, here: http://ourmothersdaughters.blogspot.com/2009/01/can-your-new-years-resolutions-take.html. There are days when all my family needs from me are food, and clean laundry. And boats. Thanks for all your creative inspiration!

Wow finally a fellow TIRED blogger.So refreshing to see your post today.I love reading your post this one made my day.Thank you for the bust of realy honest burned out too much to do woman world.Enjoy the little things they past so fast and then your kids are grown up and gone.

It's so easy to get totally caught up with blogging, so many wonderful people out there to visit!! I have always been an advocate of 'important things first' the dust will still be there tomorrow, first steps won't...!!!Lizziexxx

i Love your blog.. thanks so much for sharing all your great tips on sewing and life... If you have a spare sec..(not likely) On my quilting blog 'Chasing Cottons' at the moment is a GREAT "Creating a Childhood" site.. that has heaps of great stuff..you would love it. Shes a wife of a Stake President..with 9 Amazing children.. xx She like you, is so inspiring! Oh and def prefers to play with the kids instead of dishes...But hey who doesnt! xx

Oh gosh, you don't need to worry about posting here; honest. Your kids are THE most important thing in your life or should I say that YOU are the most important thing in their lives?! You will have plenty of time to clean and sew/quilt when they are grown. Trust me when I say, they grow way too fast. All of mine are gone and I am very thankful for all the things and special times I did with them when they were little. Those times are SO important to them and the traditions you start with them now will follow them their entire lives and long after you are gone. Enjoy those children and don't feel bad/guilty for not making sure you have a post here every single day.

love those fabrics!! and your posts are always interesting to read. i totally agree that cleaning toilets can wait for making and sailing boats with a child!! or quilting. have a great day. you have great priorities

What's that old poem? "Cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow cuz babies grow up I've learned to my sorrow." I didn't have the tidiest home when my children were home but we did have some good times playing. My "baby" will soon be 30 and I have plenty of time to clean house. Well, when I'm not sewing LOL

I always put playing, reading, talking with kids before housework or anything. It is so important and now that they are older I am reaping the rewards. House was always a bit messy (and still is) and I didn't even start sewing until they were bigger - (wish I had made lovely quilts for mine when they were little! I did knit toys for them though) Whatever you do, I think you make it enjoyable to read about. By they way, what are those gorgeous fabrics you are using?!!Thanks for sharing snippets of your days with us.

This is one of my faves! Never should you worry about keeping up here, when there is keeping up to be done there. It's a no-brainer!Glad you were able to video the little one and wash duck-poop water off little fingers.Cheers!

I LOVE your life posts. I love your quilt posts too! I'm actually wishing that my quilting time was non-negotiable -but that's not how life works all the time! And if it makes you feel better - I don't think I've ever dusted or cleaned the lower part of my toilet?! :) Happy Quilting!

I enjoy your blog and love seeing all the wonderful things you make, but don't let any those special times with your kids pass you by. They grow up way too fast. We'll still be here whenever you have the time to blog, so don't sweat it.

I love your blog and all the lovely quilts you make! Reading your posts are a little sweet spot in my day, like a window to a time long gone when my kids were little, when I cherished their naps to get my sewing in, and I had a lot more energy!Thank you!